


Conversations and Manipulation: A Genji-Centered Story

by WickDagon



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, I have no idea how Formatting works here so bear with me pls, I'm having a blast doing this, M/M, Work In Progress, first work so be gentle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2018-11-04 01:38:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10980651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickDagon/pseuds/WickDagon
Summary: Genji has led a life that many would deem too exciting for a single lifetime, let alone only a few years, but the young Shimada still feels he has much to learn and even more to experience. This is a multi-chaptered fic I'm working on, centered around Genji, featuring several other members of the colorful Overwatch cast.





	1. Chapter 1

Genji’s dreams had followed the same pattern for years. He was always in his room. Not his room from his childhood, back at Shimada castle, nor was it his Watchpoint dormitory, but he could tell that the room he was in belonged to him. He would be standing, staring out the window, deeply breathing in cold ventilated air as he watched the world pass by. It was always moving in fast-motion, yet he felt at slow, at peace, like he was separate from the hustle of the world outside the glass. Hours would silently pass by. Always, someone would come from behind and place a warm comforting hand on his shoulder, but before he could turn around and see who it was, he would wake up. In his dreams, he could feel that he had a human body, one of skin and muscle, where he could feel the air on his skin. Waking up would place him back in his metal shell.

His room had always been a place of solace, a true sanctuary, and have never been one to have a bad night’s rest, he always felt rejuvenated and relaxed. Sitting on a bed meditating, taking in the sounds and feelings of the world. No matter where the younger Shimada found himself in his journeys, Genji could never abandon the comfort that came to him when he was sitting down after a long day in a living quarter he could call his own. It was a space where he felt able to let down his mask, unwind and reflect on the day. 

Soon after Genji’s arrival in Nepal Zenyatta learned that if his pupil ever wanted to be left alone he would hole up in his room. His solitude would never last long, and Zenyatta understood that there are some mental journeys that one must take by themselves. While not exclusively mental, Genji was indeed on a journey of self-comfort. He was not used to the feel of his cybernetic implants, and no matter what Master Tekhartha would do, Genji couldn’t adapt to his new body. He felt phantom pains, and wanted to itch at skin that was no longer there, or stretch out muscles that was now only robotic tissue. It took him weeks to feel comfortable in his body to be seen by the other omnics at the monastery, months until he felt natural walking around, and years until he felt human. Through all this, he felt that if he ever needed to truly relax, his room was where he could do it.

That was a long time ago, as the aircraft made a slight but sudden lurch, it shook him out of his resting state, rattling him out of his own mind. He blinked once or twice, looking around the room, regaining his bearings. The ship was more empty than usual; it was a simple recon job that him and Captain Amari were coming back from. He shook his head, Ana, Ana, Ana, he told himself, she wants me to call her Ana. The past is the past, she isn’t a captain anymore. She was across from him in a seat, head back against the walls, looking as asleep as he must have been only minutes before. Genji unbuckled his straps and walked to the bow of the ship, attempting to be even quieter than he normally was as not to disturb the sleeping sniper across from him. Taking several steps up the stairs, he could see the blue skies shining through the Dropship’s impressive display windows.

“Athena wants us to stay seated during flight, turbulence can occur at anytime.”

The voice startled him, he turned around and tilted his head.

“How could you hear me?” He asked, “You were asleep. I was sure of it.” Ana cracked her neck and knuckles, making impressive sounds, and stretched out her arms.

“Oh please, young one. I have been soldiering for more years than you have been walking. Nothing gets past me. Nothing.” The way she delivered the last word stopped Genji for a second. It was ominous, but not threatening. Even beneath his helmet, Ana could tell he arched an eyebrow. She chuckled softly.

“I am only joking, of course. I still can’t notice everything. I feel that anything on the right side of my face goes right by me. I wonder how that could be?” Genji was unsure how to react. Ana could tell, and switched the topic. She shifted in her seat, slightly. “You do good work, young one. Every time we go into the field, you new recruits surprise me more and more. You would think you have something to prove, yes?” Ana laughed for a second before returning to her stoic nature. “If you want to look out at the sky, I would be happy to join you. I won’t tell Athena we broke the rules if you don’t either.” Genji smiled and nodded. “Come on then, let us stretch our legs and enjoy the view.” As she unbuckled her straps and started to stand up, Genji slid to her side to offer a hand. Ana stopped what she was doing, looked up at him, raising an eyebrow and giving a sly smile, making the Shimada blush and laugh, embarrassed. 

“You might be a true gentleman, but the day I need to be helped up from my seat is a long ways away.” She stood up and grabbed his arm, wrapping her elbow around his. “But if you are going to be a sweetheart, I am more than happy to welcome your offer”, she said, giving a warm smile that helped Genji feel less like a dork for offering his help in the first place. Of course, Genji thought to himself, offering to help her up when she was the one watching over me the whole time. Unbelievable. Arm in arm, the two walked to the bow, looking out through the large rectangular windows, seeing the clouds race past, and the endless ocean shimmering beneath them. 

“Hello, Agents.” Athena stated, “I see you have decided that aircraft rules do not apply in this instance.” The fact that AIs have no way of insinuating sarcasm or seriousness made Genji uncomfortable, but Ana seemed unphased. “Regardless, you have both performed well on this mission. Canada is a scary place, but you two have provided some excellent scouting for us. I have sent your metadata back to Command, but Winston has asked that you see him in person for a debriefing. We shall be arriving back at Gibraltar within the hour.” Athena said. After her message, the ship fell silent, only the rumbling of the reactor engines lightly shaking the ship, creating a soft barely audible din. The cyclopean captain and the cyborg Shimada stood there, their combined three eyes out the window, watching the clouds race by. The Dropship was fast and dependable, making it for a relaxing ride, if not always a smooth one.

“You know, the way you move around out there is something extraordinary. It’s like you’re a cat, or wind. You flow around the battlefield, climbing, running, jumping like a man at ease with nature. You fight like no one I’ve seen before, and I doubt I’ll ever see again. So tell me, could you cut a bullet in two before your augmentations or is that new?” Her smile told Genji that she was curious, but not serious.

He chuckled, “No, unfortunately not. I was always good with the blade, but never that good. I remember back when I was younger-” Genji stopped. Thoughts of his home flooded back. Thoughts of his parents, of his old life, thoughts of his brother. His right hand clenched in a fist, but the lack of any human feeling from that side of the body felt like daggers digging into his palm. “Sorry. Many of my abilities are new, and I like to challenge myself when out in the field. Maybe it is unprofessional, but I have yet to fail any task presented to me. How else can I improve if not by trial and error?”

Ana chuckled softly. “You say that, and before you know it you lose an eye to a ballet dancer. Don’t be foolish out there, know your limits. Testing is for the training room, rationality is for the field, do you understand?”

“I do. But..” he paused, unsure of what he was saying was welcomed or not, “But how much more do I have to lose? Is there any more left? Or-”

He was cut off by a tightening of the grip around his elbow. Ana took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, closing her eye as she did so.

“I know, child. We all think of times where we wish we could be. When we lost someone, or something.” A long silence followed. “I’m not saying that I can compare my life to yours, but maybe you can see something in my past that can help you make better decisions in the future, yes?” Genji turned to her, as a sort of confirmation that he was willing to listen.

“Being a captain in Overwatch was one of the best times of my life. I think about it often, maybe more than I should. But you see where you are now, and instead of what you have lost, think of all that you could possibly gain.’” She and the Shimada stood there, gazing out the window, basking in the light of what could have been said, watching the light-grey skies over Great Britain approach and engulf the ship. “I remember when I lost this” Ana said, pushing back her hair and pointing at her eyepatch, “And I think, ‘What could I have done?’ Well, the answer is unknown. There is no way to gain back lost time, or lost potential. The only thing there is now is to look what we can gain, or what we can hope for the future.” Ana sighed, and leaned more of her weight against Genji’s left arm. “But I think of what will come. I get to see my daughter grow everyday to become an amazing woman. I see the work that you young lot are doing to make the world safe for everyone. It is a thing of beauty, and something that I never could have possibly imagined when I was your age, and especially not when I lost my eye. Those were my darkest times, and while I’m not going to be growing one back any time soon, I have come to accept it. And maybe, I’ll get a replacement for something else. I was thinking now that I’m down an eye, maybe I could use a new nose? Or a third ear, perhaps.” The break from sentimental thought and the suddenness of her humour made Genji laugh louder and harder than formal company would deem appropriate. It brought his mind back to the present, he turned to Ana giving her a wide smile, almost as a sign of gratitude, inside his helmet. Ana caught the gesture and smiled back, laughing as well. 

“But to think only of what we lost and what we could lose in the future is a defeatist attitude. There is nowhere to go from such a mentality. Out there, in Canada, when you were climbing walls, jumping and gliding through the air, did the thought of ‘What have I lost in my life, and how could I have changed that?’ ever pass your mind? I can guarantee not, because you were living in the moment, and not caught up in maybes or what-ifs. But now that the action has died down, we both are waxing poetic about our lives. I will not pretend to know what has spurned this, but I do know that you will get past it, and we will move forward.” She breathed deeply and Genji did so in return. “What a world we live in, Genji. It all seems to move so fast, and yet here we are, keeping up right beside it.”She patted his elbow with her hand. “It was good to hear you laugh, just then. Sometimes you young people take everything much too seriously”, batting her hand at him and sliding her arm from his, and started to descend the stairs back to the main area of the plane. “Today has been very nice. Thank you for being my escort.” Genji did a playful half-bow.

“I would think that you were the one watching over me, but it was my pleasure nonetheless, Captain.”

“Ana.”

“Ana.”

She smiled at him, “Like I said, much too serious.”

Athena came back over the loudspeakers.

“Agents, we will be setting down in only a few minutes. I advise you to return to your seats and buckle in.”

“That’s our cue,” Ana said, “But thank you for being here and listening to an old woman talk, even if it was only the ramblings of someone who has seen too much of the world, but knows too little.”

“No, ma’am. I thank you. Maybe we will have to go on more missions together, we might end up solving all the world’s problems.” Ana laughed. She turned to him and let down her hood, shaking her long grey hair loose from its ponytail, and slid off her gloves.

“Only if you bring along your omnic mentor. I imagine he has much more to say about the world than I do. Now if you don’t mind, I might like to close my eyes briefly before we land and we return to the life of an Overwatch agent, and if you ever get into trouble, I’ll be there to bail you out.

With that, the two field agents sat down in their respective seats, Ana closed her eye and Genji stared at her, wondering what on Earth this woman has seen that he could not ever believe. He sat there, waiting for the ship to land. Time to relax, and unwind, Genji thought, the calmness of his room after being gone for some time the only thing occupying his mind at the moment. At least, now that we’re back, any risk to bodily harm is gone, and the only thing I care about is when I can continue my dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

After leaving the aircraft Ana and Genji parted ways, saying their goodbyes and good lucks. Ana mentioned “taking care of personal business” before reporting back to Winston, which Genji understood was code for checking in on her daughter, leaving Genji alone, he decided to take a walk along the Gibraltar shore. He wanted to reflect on his conversation with the captain, and while they were from two different worlds living drastically different lives, Genji could not help but smile and feel comforted that Ms. Amari had taken the time to talk to him, to listen to him and talk about feelings. Genji was drawn to these people. His friendly neighborhood omnic monk was the clearest example that came to his mind, but even Dr. Zeigler, Commander Reyes, that American cowboy, and even his brother. Genji loved people who were willing to listen and talk about how they felt and what they wanted out of life. But now in the body of a robot that he could never feel like his own, life seemed to have taken itself in a rather unconventional route.

The Gibraltar sun was a radiant orange, setting low in the sky. The waves crashing against the shore were calming and repetitive, a perfect sound to accompany his meditation. Genji thought back to his time in the monastery, where hours of uninterrupted meditation were routine. The sounds of the mountains and the others in the monastery were too loud for his auditory implants, but quickly he learned to focus on his breathing and the chimes that came from Zenyatta’s meditative balls. Genji loved thinking about those balls. They were soothing to his nerves, and as he walked along the golden sand, he could hear them still. Feeling himself sink into the beach with every step was therapeutic, but he wished he could take off his footpads, and underneath would be human feet, feeling the sand between his toes, leaving footprints as he walked. Closing his eyes, he stopped and stood still, listening to the waves crash and the gulls chirp, still hearing the sound of the chimes in his head.

Opening his eyes Genji realized that, no, those are actually the bells. He turned on his heel and turned to see the robotic facade of his omnic master.

“Good evening, Genji!” Zenyatta said, cheerful as usual, “I thought I had heard the ship returning, and I wanted to come and see how your mission with Ms. Amari went. When I got to the ship, both of you were gone, but Mr. Lindholm had seen where you had went. He pointed me here, and following the only steps on the beach, I appear to have found you.”

Genji smiled inside his helmet. “It is very good to see you too, master.” The two embraced briefly, and started to walk, or hover, along the beach, enjoying the setting sun. “Our mission went quite well! I had never been to Canada, but I had read much about it. It wasn’t as scary as I imagined it would be, but there is still much work to be done. I only hope that we can all get over there at some point, and make a real difference.”

Turning his head, Zenyatta spoke, “I am happy to hear that. You and Captain Amari seem to be similar souls, and I imagine there is much you can teach each other.” Genji exhaled through his nose, the coincidence humorous to him. The two continued along the shoreline, watching as the sun fell away, and the stars started to shine through. “It is truly beautiful along the shoreline. We really have seen so much of the world, haven’t we? From the deserts of Africa to the towering cities of glass and steel, it is much more than I ever would have thought a simple Shambali monk would get to experience.

“Yes, maybe someday I will be able to show you my home. I believe you would find Japan much to your liking.” Even saying that gave Genji a slight twinge of pain in his chest. He hoped Zenyatta would not hear the slight break in his voice.

“I am very sure I would. Maybe someday.” Zenyatta had heard it, evidenced by his somber tone. No matter how many years had passed, Genji still thought of home, and Zenyatta was thankfully very understanding. They continued their slow pace along the beach, the sun sinking deeper and deeper into the horizon. Eventually, it was gone, leaving a blueish-purple streak across the sky.

Genji decided to break the silence with a question he was not sure would go over well, but had been on his mind for a brief time. “Do you ever miss the monastery, master? Do you ever want to go back to earlier times? They always felt so much simpler. I think what if I had never made it to Nepal, what would your life be like? How much am I the cause of where we are? Do I play a part in all of this?”, he said, gesturing around to the Watchpoint and its imposing structures. As soon as he had finished speaking, he wished he had kept his mouth shut. Genji was not alone in his exile and subsequent world travels; his master too was shunned from his home. Everyone has their painful memories, and no one enjoys talking so freely about them. Zenyatta stopped his movement, bowed his head, and turned to face the sea.

“I would never lie to you, and so to be blunt: yes. I miss my family. I miss my friends, and the omnics who were so much like me. I miss my brother. Every day I want to go back home and be with people who love me, and never feel judged. Every passing moment I wish that Mondata was here with me.” Genji’s heart sank. Hearing his mentor and best friend become melancholic over something he could not change was heartbreaking. 

“Master, forgive me, I did not mean-” He was cut off.

“I would always be honest to you about what I feel, because I know you would do the same. Do not apologize for your curiosity. The path I have chosen is not a weight for you to bear. Do not make the mistake of feeling guilt for another's actions. There is no redemption in trying to change what has already been chosen. That is foolishness. You are not to blame for me leaving Nepal. I feel that I would have left to pursue my own ambitions no matter what.” Genji raised his head and stared at the ocean. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Palpable silence filled the air, seeming to drown out the crashing of the waves. Even the birds seemed to have ceased their incessant squawking.

“I do not wish to prattle on about what I have lost, and it is very unlike you to bring up the past, both mine and yours. What is on your mind, Genji?”

Genji sighed. Focusing on his past felt like re-treading similar ground, and the conversation with Ana made him consider the act of staying in the past  and how it prevents you from seizing the present and the future. He sat on the beach and stretched out his legs, lying down on his back. The omnic did a similar motion, while still managing to levitate only a few inches off the ground. Genji felt young again, staring at the stars, feeling his chest rise and fall with every assisted breath.

“It’s...tough to encapsulate. Something that Ana said to me on the way back, about how we shouldn’t focus on what we have lost, but what we can hope to gain. But I have lost so much, and no matter how far I go down this path, one misstep could send me tumbling back to where I was when I first met you. Angry, vengeful, misguided. Ever since my…” Genji found himself at a loss for words on how to describe this new body. It wasn't a rebirth, he was still the same person that fell from grace from the Shimada clan all those years ago, and he would never be willing to call what happened a reconstruction, that was too mechanical, too divorced from who he was. He was not an omnic. He was born a human, but now not even half of this new body was organic tissue. “I don’t know what to call myself, master. Am I a man, or an omnic? I feel there is clear evidence I am not a machine, but when so much of my body is machinery, is there a distinct difference between my body and yours? What if I feel my humanity slipping away, and I become some freak? Someone who doesn't feel like a man inside a machine's body, but just a tool? A weaponized creature, and nothing more?”

Zenyatta countered quickly, “Do you see yourself as human at all?”

Taken aback, Genji responded, a hint of anger in his voice, “Of course! I have spent so long striving for peace and acceptance, what kind of question is that?”

Zenyatta chuckled, which after years of getting to know him Genji knew meant that he had fallen into his teacher’s philosophical trap. “So even after all you have lost, you know that you are a man, but somehow you are afraid you will lose your humanity? I fail to comprehend what could possibly happen to make you feel less alive, less human. When I asked my purposefully prodding question, you responded exactly as I knew you would. You are still the same young man I found at the foot of the monastery, but you have come so far and changed in so many ways. I ask you, what could make you turn away from years of teaching? You are much too smart for that.”

Genji sat back, taking in what Zenyatta had said. He nodded, acknowledging the truth in what had been said. He pulled his legs in, crossing them as he had done so many times while meditating, the omnic following suit. “I suppose you are correct. But what if I lose control of my body? What if I become like the omnics who rebelled in the first Crisis? I doubt you would agree that the E54’s and countless walkers were considered in control of themselves, or even sentient. Are they no longer conscious?”

“I would see them as conscious, but that does not mean they were free. You bring up a good point, one that even has countless discussions surrounding it today. If someone was to flip a switch in my CPU, turning me off, then reprogramming or rebooting me, would that change who I am? Most likely, yes. But that is the primary difference between you and I. You do not have an off switch, as it were, and you cannot be reprogrammed. Does that mean I am not sentient?”

Genji was silent, as he was waiting for Zenyatta to finish his rhetorical question, but his continued silence made Genji realize he wanted a genuine response. “Oh! Oh, yes, of course you are. I have yet to meet an omnic who was not as alive as any human.”

“Precisely. We are all alive in our own ways, but there is a difference between us that could never be reconciled. You, no matter the circumstances in your life, will never fail to recognize that. I am sure of it.” With that, he placed a hand of Genji’s shoulder, giving a light squeeze, filling Genji with a sense of warmth that spread through the remains of his human body. He smiled, grateful for this moment with his friend. The two looked back over the ocean, barely illuminated by the half-moon, stars reflected in the crashing waters. “I believe it is getting late, and I would imagine that Winston will be expecting you for a debriefing, yes?”

“Indeed, master, I should get back to him before it is too late and he is already asleep. I thank you very generously for taking your time to talk with me.”

“Nonsense, I would never pass up an opportunity to talk with my bright pupil. I imagine that we both have learned much from this discussion, and I look forward to the next time we have one.”

Genji half-smirked, “Hopefully it will be over a lighter subject, something bright to balance out the negativity. The yin to the yang, it would seem.”

Even without eyes, Zenyatta managed to roll his before letting out a light chuckle. “Always so witty, this one was. However did I manage to train you?”

Genji laughed heartily before standing up, gazing at the night sky one last time before being joined by his mentor, and the two walked along the beach in near-silence, passing their time together as they had for so many years before.


	3. Chapter 3

The beach ended and met with an elevator whose system had not been serviced for a decade but was still functional. Zenyatta and Genji hopped in, quieting themselves and taking in the silence. The elevator stopped at the first floor, the main level. Genji stood aside to let Zenyatta off, but he shook his head, conveying he would stay on and continue his meditations on the roof, something that became a sort of ritual. They bowed their goodbyes, and Genji exited into the Gibraltar complex. 

The path from the beach towards the inner sanctum of the base ran through the unused part of the Watchpoint, abandoned only in that it was so understaffed it was pointless to try and power its entirety. At the end of the hall, light shone through, marking the Command Center at the heart of the sprawling facility. Genji felt a rush of nostalgia as he traced his fingers along the walls, passing research labs whose lights had long since burnt out, training facilities where centimeter-thick dust covered the equipment, and dorms that hadn’t held recruits for years. He sighed. Winston was working himself harder than anyone could imagine, but without official pardons for the whole crew and renewed international support, the Watchpoint would be running at half-efficiency. Winston was sure to be in the center, typing away at his terminal, proofreading documents, managing logistics for the base and agents in the field, anything and everything that would be expected of an Overwatch Commander.

Genji was more than ready to make his way back to his room, strip down, and pass out. Even with all his cybernetics, he had a human brain that needed rest and recuperation. But before that, he had to file his report with Winston. Overwatch was still operating above the law, and so mission data transmitted over the airwaves was liable to interception, meaning all data must be encrypted then uploaded or delivered in person. Gibraltar had no regulated means of generating power for the base and no way to freely broadcast leaving it in a perpetual state of ordered chaos, with Winston trying his damndest to hold it together. Overwatch and all extrajudicial organizations had been banned, but memories are stronger than laws. Winston was able to call on friends and favors from around the world and whipped Gibraltar somewhat into shape. 

The base itself was built into the Rock and the surrounding cliff face, which helped hide the activities of an organization not officially deputized. 

Reaching the end of the hall, he pressed the switch opening the sliding door, blinking twice to adjust his cybernetic night-vision eyes. Opening the sliding door and stepping out into the circular room, he quickly scanned the area. It was instinctual, after all, one does not become a mechanical soldier without learning the basics of combat. Winston was present, pacing back and forth, about as well a gorilla can, obviously a move picked up from his human caretakers. The holographic table in the center displayed the layout of the base, with various positions around the perimeter flashing red. The rocks forming the walls were studded with various outdated weapons and armor, with gear ranging from Tibetan muskets to original power armor suits that weighed half a ton. A life pod hung from the ceiling, large enough for Winston to use as a hammock when the need arose. Prototypes and promising blueprints were scattered about the various tables and computer screens, some of which Genji felt unauthorized to see. He turned his head back to the table in the center, where Winston was, still pacing with a furrowed brow.

There was a long history between the two: Winston was a young scientist when Genji was brought into be rebuilt and he had fabricated much of the Shimada’s cybernetics. Winston spent a lot of time staring at the broken man floating in a bio-stasis chamber, wondering what the international community would think if they knew what was going on. His piercing red eyes stood out in Winston’s mind for a long time, and he observed the newly-minted cyborg closely during his training. Winston was no stranger to all-consuming rage, and Genji was radiating with it. Winston rarely fought on the front-lines, but he heard stories about what Genji could do, how he could cut and weave through a dozen men and come out untouched. Yet when at base, he was so different.

He was alone, always, and wasn’t looking to make friends. He could tell there was an aspect of alienation in all of Genji’s interactions. The raw recruits would avoid him as best they could, the veterans didn’t know what to make of him, and many felt pity. Thankfully Reyes seemed to know to take him in, after all it’s what Reyes seemed best at, first with McCree and now Genji. Reyes was a soldier though, he wasn’t there to make everyone friends, he was tasked with forming an elite group of commandos. Winston didn’t think weaponizing a highly vulnerable agent was smart, but Morrison said to make it so, and so it was done. After Genji was recruited into Blackwatch, Winston rarely heard of him and almost never saw him again. So when Genji left to wander the world in hopes of finding out who he was, Winston was hardly surprised. He too had left where he once called home to find a better life, and it had brought him here. He hoped Genji would find peace, but it would take years for him to find out what became of Genji. Soon after he left, Overwatch was disbanded. It was for the best, they said, and it likely wasn’t coming back. But the world is never peaceful for long, and after years of conflict and turmoil, Winston took it upon himself to grab the reins and became an unofficial Commander. He sent out messages to the last known locations of all previous agents. The tracker that was ordered to be placed in Genji’s brain had been tampered with at somewhere in the Sahara desert, and later showed up in the United States. Winston assumed Genji was either dead or had taken up mercenary work.

The biggest surprise of the Recall was when Genji returned still in one piece, and that he had brought an omnic monk as well. The second biggest was Genji’s change in personality. Gone was the angry, silent warrior who kept to himself because he didn’t fit in, and now instead there was a man at peace with his strange existence. 

The sound of the door opening and closing with a dull sliding thud caught Winston’s attention. He turned and shot a glance over to Genji, causing him to stop his four-legged pacing.

“Oh, Genji! I was wondering when you would sneak in. Welcome back.”, a smile spread across his face. Genji returned one from inside his helmet.

“Hello Winston. It is good to be back. Did I miss something?” He walked over to the table in the center where Winston had clearly been hard at work. Winston joined him, and they performed a simple fist bump of friendship. Both turned to the table, where Winston exhaled through his nostrils and rolled his eyes.

“This? Nothing, it seems. A weird glitch. The perimeter thinks that it got tripped in every major position at once.”

Turning his attention to the table, Genji motioned towards the blinking red lights around the perimeter, saying, “Are you sure? This looks rather serious.”

“Well, we haven’t had a single intruder incident since the Recall, so I doubt it’s a genuine alert. They all went off at once, like an army breached the compound. I haven’t been able to reset the system yet, and it’s annoying.” He adjusted his glasses.

“Are you sure? While no one has tried to infiltrate the base yet, I would not expect us to stay so hidden forever.”

“I hear what you are saying, and while I am very thankful we’ve managed to stay under the radar, it would take a lot of effort to pull this off, or we would have to be getting bombarded by everyone we’ve ever pissed off. I assume you didn’t trip anything coming up the southern elevator? And I hope this isn’t just from a single frayed wire, either.”

“No, nothing. Are you sure this isn’t anything to worry about?”

“Yes, I’m fairly certain. The only way to trip all sensors would be either march on here with an army, like I said, or set it off from Athena’s hardware, which she would be acutely aware of.” A heavy sigh escaped his lips. “You know I was joking about the frayed wire, but I wouldn’t discount that, of all things. The facility has seen better days.” He moved to the other side of the holographic table, where a terminal was set up, and sat down on the ground, his massive size allowing him to still be at normal computer desk height. “We need funding, we need international support, but all we have right now are scraps and favors.” He adjusted his glasses. “It’s why it means so much that you and others are putting yourselves out there in the field despite all the dangers, so I thank you for that.”

“Winston, you do not need to thank me. I should be thanking you, I imagine, how else could we have gotten out to that frozen wilderness in the first place?”

Winston smiled, and started typing, preparing a new addition to the mission logs. “How was Canada? I was hoping Ana would stop by to fill me in, but it seems she had more, er...pressing matters to attend to?”

Pharah was probably in trouble.

Genji chuckled, “Poor Fareeha. I would not want to be on the receiving end of Ana’s judgement.”, he said to himself. He straightened his back. “Canada was cold. I was unprepared for that.” He leaned against the table, swiping with his hand which in turn whooshed away the base blueprints and brought up a world map. A few swipes and zooms he had focused the map on the Canadian Wilderness in the north of the country. He brought up various news broadcasts, some of which were discussing the very mission he had returned from. Watching the news tickers roll by, he started to debrief.

“The situation is unstable at best. Protests, counter-protests, rioting. Groups of omnics and their sympathizers moving away from the cities and starting communes, anti-omnic militias setting up compounds in the Northwestern area. There aren’t many flashpoints right now, and the major cities are holding everything together, but there could be a flare up any day. Both sides are armed, but unwilling to start a war. Ana and I infiltrated one of C.O.R.P’s bases.”

Winston put his head in his palm, “Great. First the Canadian Human Protection League, then the Homeland Defenders, then the Anti-Omnic Heart of the People, now the Canadian Order of Reactionary Protectors.” A heavy sigh, followed by Winston wiping his brow. “Sorry, Genji, continue with the report.”

He nodded. “Hai. They’re stockpiling pulse rifles and ammunition. They had fifteen boxes, containing around twelve rifles a box, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition, as well as making more themselves. They claim to represent millions of supporters throughout the country, but they themselves number at least two thousand and have close ties with other extremist groups, meaning they could mobilize perhaps ten thousand men if need be. They had labs set up processing explosives and possess sizable stockpiles of material.”

Typing away, Winston asked, “Did you grab any samples for the explosives? Did anything look interesting enough that Mr. Fawkes might be able to recognize and trace?”

“Nothing that special, it seems, but feel free to copy this,” He said as he pressed a button on his visor near his temple, ejecting a small computer chip, “And send it over to him. If anything, he might enjoy the combat footage.”, Genji said with a smirk. Winston perked up and reached across the table, carefully grabbing the small chip containing the video recordings of the mission and inserting it into his computer.

“I suppose combat was to be expected. I am glad you two are unscathed. Any significant engagements to report, Genji?”. Agents were not operating above the law anymore, and a substantial number of casualties could draw the unwanted gaze of the world.

“Nothing major. A small skirmish on our last day, right before we exfiltrated.” Genji paused and inhaled deeply. “You would be surprised how many people are willing to give away their lives in support of oppressive laws. The base was full of them. Six killed by my hand, several by Ana as well.” Loss of life for such a wrong-headed cause. Sad.

“Any idea on how many Ana took down?”

“No, Winston. If I had to guess at least as many as me.”

Winston sighed, but filled in the relevant mission data. A small laugh caught Genji’s attention, who raised an eyebrow and cocked his head.

“Would you be surprised if I told you that Captain Amari is the most intimidating person I have ever met?” Genji laughed. How perfect, given the conversation they had on the ship.

“No, Winston, I would not be at all. She is one amazing fighter. How lucky are we to have her along for the ride?” Winston gave a bright smile that, despite his massive white teeth, was warm and kind-hearted.

“Truly. Anything else? Any structural damage, sabotage, High-Value targets to look out for?”

“We torched the labs with whatever propellants were around and filled three of the rifle boxes with trackers. If they’re smuggling guns in any way we can alert the proper authorities,” Genji said. “No HVTs there at the moment, or at least, no one who looked important. But who can tell when they’re all dressed to the nines in body armor?”

A chuckle shook Winston’s large body as he finished typing the report. He stood up on his hind legs, stretching out his massive body. Winston was an intimidating figure, as tall as Reinhardt with the added bonus of being a talking genius gorilla. Genji stood and stared as Winston yawned, again baring the massive canines of the gorilla, Winston sat down, saved his writings, and turned off the monitor.

“It has been quite the day, hasn’t it?” He moved to the side of the table Genji was at. Genji nodded, thinking only of how heavenly sleep would feel. Genji took a small step to the side so that Winston could use the holograms however he saw fit. Winston simply swiped over again, back to the base overview. All the flashing points along the perimeter were back to their normal vibrant blue, and Winston breathed a sigh of relief.

“Nothing to worry about, just like I said. Thank goodness for that, too. I’m not sure we could deal with anything at the moment, but that’s a different issue.” Swiping, pressing, and some gesturing, and the holographic table was turned off.

“Is that all, Winston? If you do not mind, I will be heading off to my room for the night.”

“Of course! I thank you for giving me this.”, waving the camera chip from Genji’s visor, “I’ll be sure to get this back to you tomorrow. Very well done on the mission my friend, thank you for volunteering for it.” He patted Genji on the back, knocking him forward a bit. “Oh, uh, sorry..”

Genji laughed, and patted Winston on the back in the same manner, albeit without nudging him from his spot. They both stared at each other with their hands on their backs for a second before bursting out laughing. They smiled and gave a parting fist bump.

“Take care Winston. I’ll see you around tomorrow.” Genji said, making his way to the doorway. “Let me know if you have need for a cyborg ninja!”

With a laugh from Winston behind him, Genji waved and was out the door, into the barracks hallway.

  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Minus the journey past the dorms, where no doubt several people would like to talk to him, Genji’s tasks were done for the day. Not that he minded Overwatch’s agents, but after a long mission filled with terrorists and espionage, time to rest and meditate was all he wanted.

Behind him, the dome-shaped central hub’s lights flicked off as Winston powered down the various monitoring electronics, no doubt before shuffling himself off to his own gorilla-sized room. Neither of them couldn’t be up all night monitoring the systems, bothered by a glitch in the defense’s readouts, especially given that they un-alerted themselves combined with Athena’s assurance that nothing was out of place. They could leave their guard down for the night and in a rare moment, Genji felt at ease. Everything seemed to have gone his way, from a successful mission with the former captain Ana Amari, to an enlightening meeting with his omnic master Zenyatta and engaging in philosophical conversation, helping stimulate the brain and clear his mind. Lastly, his reporting in to Winston, the active commander of Overwatch, who gave him the green light to go and get the rest he definitely deserved. 

Walking down the off-white corridors of the barracks, he heard typical sounds of Overwatch agents, that being playful yelling, raucous laughing, and music through the closed doors. Mission alerts were coming in constantly, and thus most of the staff was always present and ready for duty.

Past the barracks laid another cross-shaped hallway, leading to the foundry on the right, the left the workshop, down the center an old reactor, still managing to give off nuclear power. Genji contemplated walking past his room to go and see if either Torbjorn or Junkrat had finished working on any projects he might use, the thought of having to visit anything other than his room draining him even more. When about halfway down the hallway, a door opened a few feet ahead, followed by a distinct jingle of spurs. Emerging from the room, country guitar softly noodling from his speakers, out walked Jesse McCree, albeit with no shirt, hat, or sarape, just his pants, boots, and a toothbrush. This is going to take a lot of mental energy from the poor cyborg ninja. He sighed deep and walked forward. Jesse turned his head, his eyes lighting up once he spied Genji coming his way, a wide smile forming around his toothbrush.

“Weww holl up now,” McCree said, the toothbrush in his mouth blocking most of the syllables. “If it innit Genzhee Shimaha. I wazh wonderin’ whe’ u’d ge’ ack.” Jesse proceeded to give Genji a very encompassing hug, the sweaty cowboy squeezing tightly. Genji barely measured up to McCree’s neck, but returned the gesture with a few pats on the back. “How wa’ yo’ mizzon? Howz Aha?” Genji said nothing, staring, having not caught a word Jesse said, simply raising an eyebrow. McCree looked on in anticipation, but receiving no response a dash of realization caught him, widening his eyes he dipped back into his room, where Genji heard a spit, the rush of water, and a rather unattractive gargle. 

Those two people were an interesting contrast, whereas Genji had undergone the most extreme transformation since the Blackwatch days, McCree was still the same strangely charming man as ever. The water turned off, and McCree returned, still without a shirt. He must be proud of himself, thought Genji, his eyes unintentionally scanning the cowboy’s stocky body,  a thought slowly filling his mind that there was a lot to be proud of. But now was not the time for inappropriateness. McCree removed the toothbrush, and repeated the question, “How was the mission? How’s Ana?”

“Hello, McCree. Ana is doing very well. As astounding in the field as she has always been. Our mission was somewhat time consuming, but that’s to be expected with such an important task” He crossed his arms, hoping McCree would pick up that he was not in the mood for a lengthy conversation and would prefer to go to bed. Jesse of course did not get any such hint. Putting his elbow on the door frame, he gave Genji a smile.

“Well, I wouldn’t trust anyone but you to go and do something so dangerous. Where’s Ana now?”

“Off visiting Fareeha, I believe.”

“Of course.” Scratching his beard, he continued, “Ever think maybe you and I could go back to being a duo? I kinda miss the Blackwatch days, I mean, with my aim and your sneaking skills, I figure we could take down Talon all by ourselves.” He laughed, but knowing McCree, he was being serious. “Given that any thought?” McCree certainly did see himself as one hell of a charmer. Genji might normally find it amusing, and even now, fighting mental exhaustion, he couldn’t help but smile at his long-time friend and comrade. He let out a chuckle.

“Maybe so. But one step at a time, yes? Anyways Jesse, as much as I do enjoy your charm and wit, and it gives good cause for conversation, I’m tired as I can be, and yet I still have some things I must get done before I turn in for the night.” As should be expected, this made McCree curious, evidenced by his widening eyes.

“Oh really now? Such as?” Jesse was always in the perfect position to continue a conversation. One could suppose that this is where his charm came in: always finding another excuse to keep himself around. Not seeing through McCree’s plan, Genji continued:

“Well, I might have to see Junkrat before I go to bed. And you know how much I don’t really want to do that.” The Junkman and Genji had tension between them, and not the good kind. “So if you do not mind McCree, I shall be on my way. I will catch up with you tomorrow” Genji unfolded his arms and turned to continue down the hallway, but a metal arm reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

“Oh, wait! That’s perfect then, darlin’, cause I gotta go see Rat myself. I put in an order of new spurs, and old man Torb said Junkrat he’d be up all night fiddlin’ with his projects, so I doubt he’d mind us stopping by to see if they’re ready.” Jesse’s smile was ear to ear, as he found another rather convenient excuse to continue bothering Genji.

_ Kuso _ . He sighed deeply, “I really would rather go straight to bed, but I suppose it makes sense if we both have to see Jamison, who knows when we might catch him awake again, given that terrible schedule of his.” 

“True. Fawkes seems to be perfectly mirroring the rest of the base’s sleep schedule, awake at the wee hours of night, sleeping during the hustle and bustle of the day. Must be all that caffeine he drinks” Genji chuckled

“Or all the fumes he ends up huffing during his construction projects”, Genji added. McCree’s loud laugh echoed down the hall, no doubt waking up some poor souls.

“True that. Well, let's head out then!” He was already out the door, a few steps down the hall when a metal arm on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. Jesse wheeled around on his ankles, looking expectantly at Genji.

“Put on a shirt.”

A deep frown formed on the cowboy’s face. “...Really?”

“Yes. As much as I am sure the rest of our friends would love to see your hairy chest, I don’t you either singeing your chest hair off at the forge or terrifying Dr. Ling-Zhou, what with her convinced you might be a werewolf.”

McCree ran his hands through his chest hair, smiling like he was holding a baby, “Does she really think I’m scary?” McCree seemed to take pride in that. He placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest in a Superman pose. Genji rolled his eyes, but couldn’t resist a smile.

“Yes, you are hairy and proud of it. Do you know how many times people have dared me to shave your chest hair while you sleep? It’s half as many time people have dared me to shave your beard.” With that revelation, McCree’s look turned to one of fear.

“Wait, for real?”

“Mhm.”

“Genji, you wouldn’t...ever actually do that to me, right?” Genji said nothing, staring. “Genji, darlin’ please.”

Under his helmet, Genji was beaming, but he would never let McCree on to that fact. “You’ll never know unless you put on a shirt. Clock’s ticking.” Almost instantely, before he knew it, the door shut in his face, and McCree returned wearing a navy-blue V-neck, tightly fitting to his muscled body.  Damn this man and his rugged handsomeness, thought Genji, but he was too tired to continue that train of thought. 

“There, shirt on.”

“I’m very proud of you. Let’s go.” McCree again grabbed his shoulder.

“Genji. You gotta let me know exactly who and exactly when people dared you to shave my face. And please tell me if you would ever do it.” Genji grabbed his hand and moved it from him shoulder, turning around, motioning for McCree to follow, laughing as he did so.

“Jesse, know that I would never do it, but know that literally everyone on base has brought up the possibility.” Genji failed to mention he was the first one to ever come up with the idea, many years ago back in Blackwatch when Jesse had nothing more than a very dumb-looking soul patch.

“That’s relieving, I guess. But do they all hate my facial hair that much?” 

“They don’t hate it. I think we all agree it would be funny for you to wake up suddenly lacking it,” While Genji smiled from the inside of his helmet, McCree frowned and stroked his beard.

“Well, I always rather liked this. I can promise that it ain’t going anywhere for some time, I reckon. And I’m making sure ain’t nobody gonna touch it as long as I’m breathin’,” Shooting Genji a look, with a wide-eyed, piercing stare. The larger, bulkier cowboy leaned in closer, not blinking or removing his gaze, until a small smile broke through his facade of mistrust. Genji could almost feel a sweat breaking out when McCree leaned back and gave a hearty laugh, hands on his hips, head lowered, amused at his own joke.. Wiping his eye, content at his attempt at a serious voice, “Aw, man, that would be funny. Did I actually scare ya?”, he turned to Genji, grinning ear to ear. Genji would never let him have the satisfaction of knowing he got to him, though, and played it cool:

“Not even a bit, McCree. I’ve known you for too long, you can’t get anything past me.” Hopefully he would buy it..

“Aw, hell, I know. Doesn’t mean I can’t try!” Success. Genji and McCree always had such great chemistry, it was no surprise that they were assigned to be Blackwatch partners. His mind drifting back to those days, he became more aware that McCree had both arms back then, not the robotic Leftie he has now. Of course it was obvious to anyone looking, but after some time it starts to blend in with his character. Reflecting on what Ana said on the ship, Genji decided to propose a question he was unsure would go over well.

“McCree?”

“Yeah?” genji pursed his lips, but continued.

“How do you feel missing an arm?” McCree laughed, which surprised Genji.

“Uh, it’s fine. This one’s nice,” he said, stretching out the fingers and rolling his robotic wrist. “Sure, I can’t feel nothin’, but I can still write and hold my pecker while I piss.” A real Casanova, Genji thought.

“Thank you for that visual, but I mean, how do you feel about having a part of you that will never truly be the same? Something that has replaced was you were born with, something that is nothing but a copy?” McCree looked up, cocking his head, thinking as hard about this as he ever had before.

“That’s a bit of a strange question, yeah?”

“Maybe so. Did it make you uncomfortable? I apologize.”

“Naw, nothin’ like that, friend, just a bit out of left field. I dunno, now that you mention it like that. I suppose I see it as an extension of myself, not really much different that my other one”, interlocking his hands as he did so, “I don’t really think about it that much. I mean, I can’t take it off, and even if I could I don’t think I’d want to, sorta like my real limbs.” He lifted his right arm and flexed and felt his own bicep, squeezing with his metal arm, laughing as he did. This man really does love himself, Genji thought. “Why do you ask? Is there something on your mind?” Genji smiled slightly. McCree could tell there was something on his mind related to his robotics, and given how Genji had left on a many year journey to discover himself, McCree thought to approach it lightly. 

Genji looked up at  the cowboy to his left and smiled, “No, nothing really. Just curious I suppose. But maybe some point I’ll bring it up. We aren’t that similar in that regard, after all, I still have my left arm. Who knows if we really do have anything in common?” It took McCree a second, but with Genji lightening the mood, he relaxed and laughed.

“Oh, you. I’d like to think we share a few things, but you’re right: a left arm ain’t one of ‘em.” He shook his head, still chuckling, “A left arm. Of all the things we’ve lost we’re both down our good hands. The universe really is cruel.”

 

The boys continued on in silence for the next minute or so, before turning down the hall and reaching the workshop. It was clearly in use, the sounds of muffled power tools and clanging of metals were audible through the door.

“Welp! Time to see what our resident Junker has in store.” McCree said, eager as ever. Genji was less so, given the history he had with the Junkers when he first came back to Overwatch. The Junkers, Junkrat and Roadhog, had been around for a few months when Genji and Zenyatta returned, and the two pairs took a quick dislike of each other. Junkrat was absolutely incensed that they would allow some Omnic on the team, and Roadhog, despite never voicing his distaste, supported Junkrat. Genji would never let them touch Zenyatta, and despite Zen’s reassurance that the Junkers would warm up to him, Genji wasn’t so sure. Of course, Zenyatta was right, and while it was an ongoing process, and Junkrat sure liked to push his buttons, they had learned to live and work with the rest of the team, omnic or not.

 

Opening the door, they were greeted by a rich smell of gunpowder and coffee, mixing to form a powerful stimulant. On one of the many off-white tables sat Junkrat, his back to the door, hunched over in his usual posture. Next to him was a tool set, where he was constantly grabbing one piece and putting back another, working meticulously on whatever was in front of him. Scanning the room, Genji looked over all the projects that they bilders had been working on. Blueprints for some of Winston’s designs lay scribbled over and covered in markings, while Symmetra’s laid untouched and neatly stacked, untouched by the madman working in such close presence. The workshop was an impressive room, hosting all manners of futuristic tools and half-finished designs, able to fabricate anything that could be imagined. Junkrat, oblivious to the two that had just walked in, worked tirelessly on some mechanism no doubt there to cause mayhem and destruction, jittering and shaking as he did, overflowing with excitement. McCree, picking up one of the loose grenades next to the door, leaned over to Genji. “What’re the odds this won’t blow up and kill ‘im?”

“Low.”, replied Genji, concerned what his friend was planning.

Jesse gave a wide, mischievous smile. “Well, I guess it’ll get his attention no matter what.” Before Genji could process what Jesse meant, he had thrown it right at the Rat’s table, soaring through the air majestically, landing with a thud, and ticking slowly. Genji’s eyes went wide, and he stared intensely at the bomb ticking away.

“Uh oh.” 

This might be bad.


	5. Chapter 5

The bomb rolled to a halt and started slowly ticking away. Junkrat seemed totally unphased by it, still tinkering away at whatever contraption was in front of him. Genji moved to say something, but McCree’s hand on his chest stopped him, motioning to wait, a goofy, malicious smile spread across his face. Seconds went by, easily measured by the bomb on the table. It managed to catch Junkrat’s attention for only a second as he looked at the small explosive device, then back to whatever was in front of him, then back to the grenade, then back to his project.

Calmly, without taking his eyes off his work, he reached to his left, rummaged around the cluttered table and its piles of junk before finding a ball peen hammer and smashed the grenade in one fell swoop. Genji flinched as the Rat did so, expecting a loud boom, but due to the lack of ensuing explosion he could finally breathe easy, his heart still beating a bit faster than was comfortable. Junkrat threw his hammer on the ground with a dull thunk while similarly losing interest in whatever was in front of him. He swiveled around in his chair, meeting the eyes of Genji and McCree, who had his arms crossed and eyebrow raised, enjoying the charade.

“Flair for the dramatic, huh, Rat?”

Junkrat smiled a fanged smile, standing up from his chair, stretching out his long, lanky figure. As he did so, Genji noticed that his mechanical arm was missing, and was in fact resting on the table he had been working at.

“Haha! No need to panic, yeah? Just getting some tool time in. G’day to you two boys, anyhow!”

McCree snarked, “It’s almost midnight.” in a flat tone. Genji looked up at McCree, unsure if this was hostility or simply trying to find the quickest way in and out of the conversation.

“Oh.” the smile turned into a thoughtful ponder, then returned. “Well, G’day nonetheless! What’s bringin’ you in here today? Any secret plans I can help with, or maybe the latest gossip?” Junkrat said as he leaned down closer to the two and winked. Genji could practically hear McCree roll his eyes, and decided to answer for him.

“Nothing like that, Junkrat. McCree had asked Torbjorn to make him something, and was wondering if he dropped it off before he turned in for the night.”

“Hmm.” His pensive look returned, “Well, nothing Torby told me about. What exactly were you getting made, mate?” Junkrat said as he turned around, rummaging through piles of mechanical scrap, opening various drawers and cabinets.

“New flashbang cases, and,” His voice dipped a bit, his face flushing slight red, “New spurs.” Genji turned his head, giving McCree a confused look. Junkrat echoed the sentiment, but did not stop his search.

“You plannin’ on riding some horses out there, mate? Or maybe strap a saddle to Winston, ride him into battle?” He laughed loudly at his own joke, much to Jesse’s dismay.

“No, nothing like that, it’s just, y’know, the look right? Gotta keep it together.”

“And you say I’m the dramatic one.”, Genji added with a small laugh. McCree folded his arms, pouting.

Junkrat turned on his heel, addressing the two. “Naw, sorry mate, no spurs or fancy flashbangs. I’ll leave a note before I go to bed, letting Torb know you asked about ‘em, yeah? What about you, Clank? Got any loose wiring I should look at?”

Genji hated that nickname, and McCree knew it too, but before either of them could get heated, Genji replied with “I just got back from a mission, which is maybe as much excitement as I want right now. I could use a calibration and realignment. Is that okay? Are you busy?” Junkrat perked up. 

“Oh yeah big fancy mission in Canada! I remember err, eavesdropping? Politely, of course, and I heard all about that.” He tried to make a face that radiated innocence. “How’d it go?”

“Just fine. I gave the video recording to Winston. We found a lab making explosives and a few crates stuffed with them, so he’ll be sending you a copy when it’s processed, to see if you can recognize anything.”

“Swell! Seems like it’s my lucky day, yeah? Let’s get started!” He turned around and scrambled back to his workbench, where he grabbed his arm, quickly strapping it into place. He sat down on the chair and pulled up a second one, motioning to Genji to sit down. “I can take a peek under your hood if you want. I just finished fiddlin’ with me arm, so it should be nice and tight, smooth sailing yeah?” He wiggled his fingers, before sticking up all but one in a crude gesture, giggling to himself. “Unless you prefer ol’ Lobster-claw Lindholm.” He threw his head back and laughed his maniacal laugh which surely echoed throughout the entire base. Genji couldn’t help but laugh quietly too.

“I don’t mind. It might feel better before I go to sleep if we get this done.” He walked over and sat down, showing his arm to Junkrat who popped off the protective armor plating, revealing the intricate layout of wires and circuits underneath. Picking up his tools, he got to work.

“Oooh, shiny.”, Junkrat said, his eyes lighting up. “Hey, cowboy.”

“What?” McCree was disinterested. His apparent distaste for this situation was rubbing Genji the wrong way.

“Ya don’t gotta stand in the doorway like some sorta yob. Come on, take a seat, let’s all have a chat!” Again smiling his wide, toothy smile, McCree dropped his head before agreeing and coming over, pulling up his own chair. McCree plopped down and folded his arms, watching as Junkrat pulled on wires, re-soldered circuits, and tightened screws and bolts. 

“They really went the whole nine yards rebuilding ya, robo-boy. Hey, can you feel this?” Junkrat asked before a acute pain shot up Genji’s robotic bicep.

“Ow! Yes, what was that for?!” 

Junkrat snickered a bit, “Just making sure I know what’s gonna do what after all. Oh, you’ll be fine, don’t be a baby.”

McCree grumbled, “Rat, if you’re just foolin’ around here, then I’ll be asking you to stop.” It wasn’t really an ask, more a threat, which Junkrat probably understood, but his carefree attitude prevented it from displaying on his face.

“Yeah yeah, like I said, just making sure I know what’s doing what.” He tinkered away in silence for a while, the only sounds coming were the occasional grunt from Genji and the sounds of welding and soldering. Junkrat worked quickly and surprisingly methodically, contrary to what his outward appearance may suggest, but Genji had learned that once Rat had set his mind to a task, he was efficient at completing it. Junkrat was leaning in close, moving up Genji’s left arm, never flinching at the sporadic sparks that would pop out and hit him in the face. He spent years in the Outback working in conditions that would make the run-down Gibraltar base look like Utopaea, Genji thought. As Junkrat finished fine-tuning Genji’s bicep, he turned Genji around in the chair and started focusing on his back, right where the cybernetics merged with his fleshy human tissue.

“Huh”, Junkrat said, grabbing the attention of McCree and Genji, “I ain’t no doctor man, but this”, motioning to McCree to come look at something, “This is interesting. McCree, you spent more time looking at Genji’s uncovered back than I have, what’s this look like to you?”

Genji’s face turned a bright red. Thank god for the helmet.

McCree piped up “Rat, what in the hell is that supposed to mean?” McCree had turned an almost equal shade of red, though his seemed more to be in anger. He glanced over at Genji, who had purposefully been looking in the opposite direction.

Rat, completely unaware of the implication, continued on.

“Well, you two were partners during Blackwatch, and I’ve taken a peek or two at Genji’s schematics from back then. Looks like he wore a lot less armour, y’know” He turned to Genji, leaning in close to whisper, ”Maybe you should go back to that look, eh? Lotsa fine sheilas on the base might enjoy lookin’ atcha. Some blokes too, who knows?” He said, throwing a wink at Genji. Genji’s flushed face was there to stay, it seems. “So cowboy, figured you might know what the weird combo of skin and metal might look like too”, gesturing with the screwdriver in hand to Jesse’s left arm. McCree, still visually flustered, coughed and composed himself.

“I uh, I dunno. Lemme see.” He scooted over in his chair with some rather ungraceful sounds.

“Could we please not poke around my back too much? I’m delicate.”, Genji said, prompting mumbles of recognition from the pair behind him. 

“Well, that’s nifty. Genji, your skin and tissue are making real strides in fusing with the implants. It’s almost totally conjoined.”

Genji could tell it was good news, but wasn’t sure why. “Wait, haven’t they always been fused? I mean, I’ve had them in for years, and never had a problem with rejection.”

Junkrat spoke. “Naw mate, not like that, this is a process that take months or years. Your implants are interwoven with your muscle and skin cells. It’s more than rejecting or accepting the parts, this is a real symbiosis!” That was quite the word for the Outback Junker. “Here,” putting his leg on the table, pulling back the pants he had to show where they met his real leg, “Notice how my arm and leg are free flowing pieces a’ technology? Hardly any connection except the straps I got onnit? Well, that’s cause I have to keep rebuilding them, so one prosthetic has never been part of my body long enough to form a true bond. Buuuut, look at McCree’s here”, he said, grabbing Jesse’s arm and moving it in front of Genji’s face. “Notice how the skin has started to wrap around the base of the mechanical bits?” Genji never had paid too much attention to it, but now it was certainly noticeable, albeit kind of gross. “That’s what your back looks like. It’s been a slow process for you, that's for sure.” 

“Why haven’t you brought this up before?” Genji asked.

“You never asked.” Junkrat said, “Besides, didn’t Angela or that O’Deorain lady ever mention it to you when you were Blackwatch?”

Genji frowned, realizing how out of the loop he was on his own body. “No, I guess they never did. Maybe they thought I wouldn’t care. They were probably right. Junkrat dropped his arm, resting on Genji’s shoulder before McCree folded his arms again and leaned back in the chair. “How long have you had your arm, Jess?” Genji snickered at the nickname and McCree looked on in disbelief.

“Jess?”

“Iunno mate, just trying somethin’ out.”

“Well, don’t.” 

Junkrat shrugged. “Alright, fine. How long have you had the arm?”

“About a year and a half now. First started merging sixth months after I got it. Angela told me that was a bit slow.”

Junkrat stroked a non-existent beard, “Ah, for sure. Knew a few folks back home like that. So yeah Genji, you’re becoming one with your robot body, congrats!” Junkrat laughed and smiled, but Genji was still unsure.

“Wait, so why is mine taking so long?”

“Well, if I had to guess, it’d be ‘cause of how extensive and delicate the parts are. You had some major work done on ya. Especially your spine implants. That's some very sensitive tissue, mate! But you came back from almost dead, I’m almost surprised they fused this quickly.” He giggled to himself. “Mate, your brother screwed you over big time!”, he said, stifling a louder laugh. That sentence brought the room temperature down to zero. Genji turned away, closing his eyes. Before he could truly realize what he said, Jesse slapped Junkrat upside the head with his metal arm, and it surely must have hurt, because even the explosion-proof Junkrat vocalized his pain.

“Don’t, dumbass.”, McCree said, prodding Junkrat’s chest with a finger. He turned and placed a hand on Genji’s back “Hey-” Genji shrugged his arm off.

“I’m fine.” He turned back to Junkrat. “Please don’t,” was all he said. Maybe it was the smack that set him right, but Junkrat looked genuinely apologetic.

“Alright mate, yeah, sorry.” He said, rubbing the back of his head for a second. “I’ll get back to work.” He picked up his tools and went back to performing his mechanical duties. Again the room was filled with near silence as he worked, with Genji lost in thought while McCree slumped his head and twiddled his thumbs. Finishing his back without further notice, Junkrat pressed the armor back on and had Genji put his leg up on the table. The legs always took considerably longer than the arms and torso given how much longer they were and how many motors and circuits were interlaced to allow for quick movement. As Junkrat tightened and loosened, screwed and soldered, Genji felt a bit uncomfortable in the silence. Sure, Junkrat made a stupid joke, but he didn’t deserve to get hit for it, and he certainly wasn’t mad at him, and so he thought to unsettle the room in the only way he knew how: asking a deeply personal question.

“Jamison?”

Junkrat perked up. Not many people used his real name, outside of the true professionals on the team.

“Yeah?”

“How’d you lose your arm and leg?” McCree raised his head and looked at Genji, confused where this was going to lead. The tension in the room alleviated when Junkrat laughed his quite signature giggle. 

He smiled, “Well, I’ll give ya three guesses. I bet you’ll get it on the first, like everyone does.”

Jesse spoke up, “Was it a bomb?”

Junkrat chuckled, “Yes. But not exactly.”Well, not just a bomb. It was my first frag launcher. I had to test out my first model in less than perfect circumstances, and unsurprisingly, it didn’t end too well. Blew up and riddled my arm with shrapnel. Had to get it cut off, it was so bollocksed.”

Genji continued, “Ok, so that was the arm. But the leg? Was it one of your mines too?”

“What? No, have you ever stood on one of those things?”

“No”, both Genji and McCree answered.

“Oh. Do you wan-”

“No.”, came the chorus.

“Bleh, no fun you two.” He poked and prodded at Genji, avoiding, to his best ability, the sensitive bits of skin here and there. “The thing with my mines is, if you stand on them at the right spot, they can send you a hundred metres straight up! They’re a lot of fun, you’ll have to try it!”

Genji countered, “I’ll pass, honestly. How did you lose the leg?”

Junkrat’s face grew slightly more solemn, but he still kept a small smile. “Again, first time I ever debued something, this time my traps.” McCree made an “ech” sound, and Genji reeled back a bit in pain. “Got forced to step on it. Clamped down so hard that I had to lose the leg, or it’d stay in there forever. Bit so deep in the bone, almost cut my leg in half, actually.”

McCree interjected, “Wait, so who forced you to step on the trap?” He leaned in close, whispering, “Hog?”, almost like he was scared he would hear it.

Junkrat looked almost offended at the mere implication, “No! Mako’d never do anything that crazy, good Lord Jess!” Content he managed to slip that one in, he continued, “Naw, Queen o’ Junkertown. We had a bit of a tiff, thought she’d make an example of me. I was the old King’s arms maker for a time, and when she took over, it was time for me and anyone else loyal to him to go, yeah?”

Genji spoke something in Japanese, but Junkrat caught the gist of it. “Yeah mate, ‘s pretty rough. But, made it out fine and fair, albeit lighter a few kilos,” he said, giggling.

The feeling in the room had alleviated, although the rather grim story Junkrat finished telling didn’t help to complete clear the air. Junkrat had finished optimizing both of Genji’s legs from the front side where a majority of the power in his movement lay, Junkrat then had to work on the back end, where the fine motors were. After instructing Genji to lay flat on his stomach on the relatively clean table, Junkrat brought out the smallest toolset he could find. “Alright mate, time to tighten that arse.” He laughed and unclipped the metal clamps holding the synthetic material taught, and slowly peeled back the skin-like layer, revealing an extremely complex design of wire, cybernetics, and polymer gears. “What, no briefs?”, Junkrat joked. Genji, although exposed in a rather compromising way, gave a chuckle. McCree, on the other hand, was doing his best to avert his eyes like a true gentleman.

In a normal human, the buttocks contain an immense amount of motion control and stability mechanisms, and in this area Genji was no different. As a result, he was designed to be particularly sensitive around there so that any discrepancies would be noticed quickly and promptly fixed. It also meant that with rooting around there with small and delicate tools made Genji quite relaxed, even if it was the rather indelicate Junkrat performing such motions. He turned his head to face Jesse, who was still trying to avoid eye contact. He looked up for just a second, to whom Genji gave a wink. It must have translated across the helmet, because McCree quickly looked away, his face a bright red.

After mere minutes, but to Genji seemed much shorter than that, he felt the polyester of his legs being rolled back up and felt the clamps reconnect. “Alright mate, you’re all done!” To which Junkrat gave a sportsmanlike smack to Genji’s butt. “Took it like a champ, ya did. Nothing off, and minus the grafting of your skin, all looks good. How do ya feel?” Genji sat up and jumped down from the table. He twisted his arms and leaned on his legs, feeling a noticeable change in each limb. He looked over to Junkrat who was busy putting his tools back in the set, and walked over to him. He turned around, coming chest-to-face with the smaller cyborg. Genji outstretched his hand, and Junkrat took it. Them exchanged firm handshakes and smiled at each other. Their noticeable height difference made Jesse smile.

“I feel great, Junkrat.  _ Arigatou _ .”

“No need to thank me, Mr. Roboto, I’m more than happy to look at your intricacies.” The last comment making Jesse and Genji both blush. After letting go, Genji patted Junkrat’s arm, who in turn gave a light punch to Genji’s shoulder. “See ya around, yeah?”

“Of course.” He turned around. “Well McCree, I believe it’s time for us to turn in. Would you be so kind as to escort me to my room?” Jesse stood up and dusted off his pants, smiling.

“It would be my pleasure.” He looked at Junkrat, “Sorry about hittin’ ya earlier, I didn’t really wanna, y’know..” he said, trailing off and rubbing the back of his head. Junkrat just smiled back at him, giving a dismissive wave.

“S’all good, right? Sometimes I step outta line, and a good smack might bring me back.” He looked over his shoulder at the piles of schematics and blueprints in the room. “I should keep working anyways, yeah? Anything else before you turn in?” The pair shook their heads and moved towards the door. Junkrat remarked, “And I’ll keep it down, yeah? All these people looking to sleep might not appreciate me making a ruckus.”

Genji turned around, “Thank you Jamison, and goodnight.”

Junkrat beamed. As they stepped out the door, they could hear “Goodnight, Genji, goodnight Jess!”, followed by his signature cackle. The hallway was dark, with all the lights in the dorms shut off, except McCree’s, which he had left on. Following this as their beacon, they stepped down the hallway, silence following their footsteps.

  
  
  



End file.
